Lay'n here on the couch loaded on pain killers
- Thread starter dolilind
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HiYaBruceA
Registered
I've had 2 partial discectomies, 1 complete discectomy and 2 laminectomies, where part of the vertebra is removed when the opening is too small, a condition called spinal stenosis.
If you have stenosis you need to be aware that while the medical community avoids doing surgery on you by sending you to therapy, doing studies, taking x rays/MRI's, and trying to hit the spot with epidurals, you run the risk that if the disc herniates, the limited space in the vertabra will squash the nerve bundle, resulting in permanent nerve damage to areas you don't want to have damaged:
L4 has the nerve bundle that controls bowel, bladder and sexual functioning.
L5 controls muscle movement in the legs.
The damage can occur in a matter of hours and is permanent, subject to some minor recovery only. I got nailed with a 'dropped foot', where I could hardly raise my left foot. I couldn't shift into 2nd - 6th gears without lots of post-op therapy, lowering the shifter AND putting rubber tubing over the shift pedal.
If you have stenosis with a bulging disc you should qualify for surgery immediately.
If you have stenosis you need to be aware that while the medical community avoids doing surgery on you by sending you to therapy, doing studies, taking x rays/MRI's, and trying to hit the spot with epidurals, you run the risk that if the disc herniates, the limited space in the vertabra will squash the nerve bundle, resulting in permanent nerve damage to areas you don't want to have damaged:
L4 has the nerve bundle that controls bowel, bladder and sexual functioning.
L5 controls muscle movement in the legs.
The damage can occur in a matter of hours and is permanent, subject to some minor recovery only. I got nailed with a 'dropped foot', where I could hardly raise my left foot. I couldn't shift into 2nd - 6th gears without lots of post-op therapy, lowering the shifter AND putting rubber tubing over the shift pedal.
If you have stenosis with a bulging disc you should qualify for surgery immediately.
I had a herniated disc that took several docs 3 years to diagnose...prior to that MRI showing the damage, I was on pain pills and in agony, tried every home remedy I could think of, chiropractors, you name it...
The surgery is not very invasive; they essentially trim away the disc that's ruptured and you take it easy for a while. I'm better now, but I will say it was a good year before I felt somewhat normal, and nearly 2 years before I felt my back was OK again. I still have soreness in that spot, but nothing like what it was when the disc was herniating...
I feel your pain...get it taken care of and heal fast!!
P.S. I had my surgery in August and I was riding by mid-October, but I only had ONE herniated disc, so you're recovery time post surgery may be longer due to the damage you have
The surgery is not very invasive; they essentially trim away the disc that's ruptured and you take it easy for a while. I'm better now, but I will say it was a good year before I felt somewhat normal, and nearly 2 years before I felt my back was OK again. I still have soreness in that spot, but nothing like what it was when the disc was herniating...
I feel your pain...get it taken care of and heal fast!!
P.S. I had my surgery in August and I was riding by mid-October, but I only had ONE herniated disc, so you're recovery time post surgery may be longer due to the damage you have
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Sorry to hear bro. Prayers and thoughts sent your way 
lease:
lease:
Rayabusa0818
Never Forgotten
Sorry to hear this, Daryl, I hope you get well really soonlease:
lease:HiYaBruceA
Registered
Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for microsurgery, where the recovery time/pain is greatly reduced. The big recovery issue is the repair of the muscles which must be cut/moved out the way during major surgery. My cutter just kept cutting through the same scar for my three events.
My last major surgery was September 07 and I was back in the saddle the following spring, even went for some track days, though the physical therapist said the forward leaning sportbike position was not good. I don't care. If I can't ride I can't live!
My last major surgery was September 07 and I was back in the saddle the following spring, even went for some track days, though the physical therapist said the forward leaning sportbike position was not good. I don't care. If I can't ride I can't live!
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